Our Team

Nick is a world-renowned conservationist and wildlife authority. He guided a BBC film crew and Sir David Attenborough himself for a documentary on African painted dogs in 2018. In 2021, he guided another crew for Attenborough’s Green Planet series. He’s also guided film crews for wildlife and conservation documentaries aired on National Geographic, Netflix, and Disney.

Nick and his wife, Desiree, have two children, Jed and Tait. Jed is following in his father’s footsteps, currently studying wildlife conservation at university.

Beth is a retired CPA with more than 30 years’ accounting and tax experience. She specialized in nonprofit tax at an international accounting firm and later worked in financial administration at George Mason University. Beth met Nick in 2016, filed BC’s 501(c)(3) documentation, has visited Mana Pools twice, and is an original board member.

Ed is a Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Psychology at the University of South Carolina Aiken where he served as an experimental psychologist and Psychology Department chair. Over the past 20 years, he has been on safari with Nick in Mana Pools 9 times and is an original board member.

Alison has been on both sides of the safari industry, managing a safari camp before owning a tour operator business. She has strong personal ties to Zimbabwe’s local communities and conservation efforts and enjoys engaging with clients interested in being part of the future of Mana Pools. She has visited multiple times over a span of 40 years and is an original board member.

Mara is an entrepreneur and retired French instructor. Along with her husband, Robert, she began supporting Bushlife’s anti-poaching vehicles and patrols in 2015. Mara met Nick in 2011, has visited Mana Pools 7 times, and is a founding member of the board.

Charles is a professional investor, specializing in the acquisition and recapitalization of private companies. He and Nick have explored the Zambezi Valley by foot and canoe for over 20 years and witnessed the beginning of the surge of elephant poaching in 2009. Charles joined the board in 2020.

Desiree was the first woman to earn a Zimbabwe professional guide license. She and Nick work as a team, operating a safari camp and leading conservation efforts in Mana Pools and the Lower Zambezi Valley. Desiree joined the board in 2025.

Freedom manages human-wildlife conflict mitigation along the southern boundary of Mana Pools. He collaborates with Zimparks officials and community leaders to conduct wildlife education and awareness meetings, facilitates selection and training of community wildlife committee members on natural resources usage and laws, translocates carnivores that become risks, and assists farmers to safely deter elephants from destroying crops.

Andrew is based in Harare and manages logistics for BSU field operations. He coordinates driver and scout transfers into and out of the park; sources and purchases vehicle parts and repairs; and purchases fresh vegetables, meat, and dry goods for BSU staff and Zimparks rangers.

Edwin is based in the park and assists Freedom with management of the BSU anti-poaching teams. He coordinates with Zimparks rangers on field support and tactics and conducts remote vehicle and foot patrols in the vast protected areas.

Based in the communities along the southern boundary of Mana Pools, Sophia coordinates with Zimparks and community officials to conduct conservation education and lead children’s conservation clubs in 24 boundary community schools. Together with Freedom, she hosts sports galas and conservation quiz days that are attended by hundreds of community members.